Fashion, Trend, and Media Insights with Lauren Parker of Fairchild Studios

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<v Speaker 1>Hi and welcome to the Handbag Designer 101 podcast with your host, emily Blumenthal, handbag designer expert and handbag fairy godmother, where we cover everything about handbags from making, marketing, designing and talking to handbag designers and industry experts about what it takes to make a successful handbag.

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome, lauren Parker, to Handbag Designer 101, the podcast.

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<v Speaker 1>Lauren, you are the director of Fairchild Studio, amongst other things.

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<v Speaker 1>You and I go way back Selfishly.

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<v Speaker 1>I love having people on that.

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<v Speaker 1>It's kind of like a no-brainer, low-lift conversation just because you and I go so far back in terms of handbags and fashion and accessories.

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<v Speaker 1>So why don't you introduce yourself and just explain what exactly the director of Fairchild Studios does, and then we can dive right in?

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<v Speaker 2>Great.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you, emily.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you so much for having me.

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<v Speaker 2>You know I love chatting with you and I'll try to stay focused on business so we don't want to start talking about our kids again.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh my God, always a good topic.

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<v Speaker 2>So yeah, I'm the director of Fairchild Studio, which is Fairchild Media Group, which encompasses WWD, sourcing Journal, footwear News and Beauty Inc.

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<v Speaker 2>We all sit on the same floor, we all sit next to each other, share ideas, share content, and a lot of what I do is responsible of what the studio does is all the sponsored things that clients purchase.

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<v Speaker 2>So, whether it's a sponsored webinar, a sponsored fireside chat, a sponsored podcast, reports are always multi sponsors.

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<v Speaker 2>We might have 13 sponsors in a report.

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<v Speaker 2>We'll do a Q&A branded content.

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<v Speaker 2>We have articles that live on the site.

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<v Speaker 2>We have white papers that might be 12 pages that are sponsored, and then Sourcing Journal and WWD Footwear News.

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<v Speaker 2>They also hold summits and events, so we do panels up on stage.

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<v Speaker 2>So I do a lot of moderating.

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<v Speaker 2>So it's really interviewing, moderating, editing all the stuff I've been doing for 30 plus years in my career and it's been great.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, I don't know if you want me to like run through my girl, we're starting at the beginning, but real quick, just for people listening who don't know what's a white paper, let's just you know.

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<v Speaker 1>Have you explain that?

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<v Speaker 2>Okay, so a white paper is a report on one company, so it's usually a case study or multiple case studies.

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<v Speaker 2>So it might be a tech provider or that would talk about how a retailer is using their product, so something like that.

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<v Speaker 1>So it's almost in some sense like an advertorial, you know, explaining their product, how it's used, what are the unique selling points and why it has value.

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<v Speaker 2>Exactly, and you know from the studio all these things.

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<v Speaker 2>Like I say, they are sponsored, but we try to approach them with a thought leadership perspective so it's not just like a big ad for the company.

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<v Speaker 2>You know you're basically talking about what's the state of the industry, what is the problem and how are you solving it.

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<v Speaker 2>So of course you're backing into it and talking about your company, but ideally, if you can talk about how retailers are using your product, it makes a little bit more sense and more interesting.

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<v Speaker 2>So we always try to bring, even on the fireside chats.

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<v Speaker 2>We'll have the client, but they'll bring in someone from Abercrombie and they'll talk about or, you know, on a webinar.

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<v Speaker 2>So we always try to bring retailers in whenever possible, just so retailers who are paying attention to it can kind of see themselves and think how would this help me?

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<v Speaker 1>Do you think it's?

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<v Speaker 1>You know from a, because the advertising paid side historically was on a totally different side of the floor from the content editorial side.

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<v Speaker 1>And back in the day, you know, when the worlds met it was very much like church and state, unless, it's like you know, even from the scene from Devil Wears Prada where she's like where are our advertisers?

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<v Speaker 1>Prada where she's like, where are our advertisers?

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<v Speaker 1>So, you know, trying to incorporate because they're advertising, we need to make sure that they get the FaceTime.

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<v Speaker 1>Do you think that compromises the value of the content?

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<v Speaker 1>Because you're essentially promoting somebody who paid to get their message out or amplified?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, we're always you know you have to be transparent legally.

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<v Speaker 2>So when you write a sponsored content article, it says sponsored or it says advertorial, or it says in partnership with so there's no sneaking in.

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<v Speaker 2>You know it's illegal to do a pay-per-play like that and you know we have plenty of people who advertise who just run an ad just, you know, a brand ad, a camera ready ad and they don't have any editorial at all.

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<v Speaker 2>Right, so it's a mix.

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<v Speaker 2>But, like I said, there is a lot of content.

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<v Speaker 2>If you go on, all these people in the industry now they have content on their own site, they have blogs, they're producing white papers that you can download.

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<v Speaker 2>So there's so much content they want to tell stories that you can't always get that point across in just a picture of a product or a brand ad.

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<v Speaker 2>So that's why they want these articles.

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<v Speaker 2>That's why they want to sit down with an editor or sit down with me from the studio and talk for 12 minutes about what's happening in the industry.

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<v Speaker 2>So I wouldn't say it compromises it.

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<v Speaker 2>Like I said, it's always very transparent.

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<v Speaker 2>If we do a fireside chat and we have the tile, we have the two headshots, we have their logo on it.

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<v Speaker 2>So there's no sneaking in that it's editorial.

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<v Speaker 2>If it's not so, I wouldn't say it compromises it.

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<v Speaker 1>Do you think the brands that haven't been able to sustain themselves I don't mean sustainability, I mean, like continue the realm of their own legacy?

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<v Speaker 1>You know, with the advent of social media and social shopping and all of these out of the box ways to pitch, sell, promote your product, those who perhaps haven't incorporated this idea of storytelling white papers, those are the ones, in my opinion, who always bitch and moan like, oh, the business is so tough, the business is so bad.

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<v Speaker 1>It's awful because anybody like, specifically, I can speak to handbags.

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<v Speaker 1>You tell anybody going into handbags, talking to somebody who's been in the industry, they're also bitter and sour.

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<v Speaker 1>You know what I'm talking about.

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<v Speaker 1>It's like oh, don't do.

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<v Speaker 1>Bitter and sour.

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<v Speaker 1>You know what I'm talking about.

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<v Speaker 1>It's like oh, don't do it, the business is tough, the business is awful.

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<v Speaker 1>But do you think it's just a matter of is the business tough and awful, or are people just shopping differently and those who can survive have had to reinvent themselves to move along with the consumption of media?

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<v Speaker 2>themselves to move along with the consumption of media.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, look, there's so many brands and not even, you know, in handbags, really in anything in apparel.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, I always say, first time I ever went to a trade show because I've always been in B2B publishing, business to business publishing versus, you know, consumer facing publishing, and they go to the trade shows too.

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<v Speaker 2>But you know, you walk the aisles and you just see there's just hundreds and hundreds of brands and you think you know who are these people that think that there's another need, that there's a need for, like, yet another brown handbag or whatever.

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<v Speaker 2>So they don't all survive.

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<v Speaker 2>You know there's always going to be a shakeout.

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<v Speaker 2>And then of course you have, you know, big companies kind of buy up some of these smaller indie brands and sometimes that's the goal for these brands.

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<v Speaker 2>You know they want to make a name for themselves via social media or kind of do it their own way with the goal of getting bought up by a company that has money.

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<v Speaker 2>So that's, you know that's one path, of course.

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<v Speaker 2>And you know what's interesting now, this whole, like you said, social media, social shopping, self-promotion.

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<v Speaker 2>You know I'm going to date myself, but I was doing this before the internet.

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<v Speaker 2>So it's like you had to run an ad if you wanted to get known or do a trade show.

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<v Speaker 2>You know there is no other way and now you can self-promote.

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<v Speaker 2>You could put yourself on LinkedIn, you know you could get these lists and do email blasts and do you know social shopping and all that.

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<v Speaker 2>But usually people will combine it with some sort of industry promotion.

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<v Speaker 2>Because you know a site like WWD or Sourcing Journal or Footwear News, you know they have these lists that they have a reach that they go out to and a cloud because they're writing business articles and people are reading it every day.

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<v Speaker 2>That you know you don't have.

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<v Speaker 2>If you're just self-promoting Right, then it is totally self-promotional.

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<v Speaker 2>But if you're kind of in the world of a newsletter and they're writing about some, you know huge, earth shattering news that happened and you're you know you're the fourth piece, even if it's a sponsored piece.

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<v Speaker 2>You know that newsletter is going out to I don't know a hundred thousand people.

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<v Speaker 2>So you get the eyeballs that way.

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<v Speaker 2>So I do think you need some sort of combination platform of you know you have to do your self-promotion and then of course, you could tell your own story any, any way you want and, like I said, you're seeing more people on their own website really writing very in-depth articles.

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<v Speaker 2>You know they hire a content editor and they're producing their own content.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, sometimes we'll say to this company because they'll hire us to write an article for them, and I'll say you know you have some really good stuff on your own site.

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<v Speaker 2>Do you want us to just kind of link it out in a promoted e-blast and we'll link to your own white paper?

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<v Speaker 2>Right, you could just download it that way, because when you download a white paper you collect leads.

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<v Speaker 2>People have to fill in their name and their address.

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<v Speaker 2>So that's something that.

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<v Speaker 2>Another thing through the studio we come up with lead gen, which is very very important.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I mean, when people are growing their brand or trying to maintain their brand, all of that is what's the cost of customer acquisitions.

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<v Speaker 1>So you have to amortize that.

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<v Speaker 1>Like well, if I'm sending out, if I'm putting out a white paper and it's an opportunity for me to get these leads, then it's totally worth it.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, so even when we have an event, we have a summit.

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<v Speaker 2>We have one coming up in LA Sustainability Summit.

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<v Speaker 2>This is with Sourcing Journal.

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<v Speaker 2>Everyone who sponsors or everyone who buys a ticket to attend, they get all the leads of everyone who attends.

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<v Speaker 2>So there's all different ways where you can build community in the industry and connect people, and they get all those emails and all those leads.

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<v Speaker 2>And if we do, let's say we do a report for three months we're pushing it out on social media once a week on you know, LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and of course, it links to you know the download page, and so we're collecting leads for three months.

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<v Speaker 2>So we collect them at 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, so it's ongoing.

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<v Speaker 2>So there's just a lot of opportunity.

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<v Speaker 1>Does the brand get those leads at the end?

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<v Speaker 1>Is that part of what they pay for is the leads that are collected?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, so they get them three times.

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<v Speaker 2>They get the first poll at 30 days and the second poll at 60 days and then the third poll at 90 days.

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<v Speaker 2>So and then, of course, you know they can promote it on their own site.

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<v Speaker 2>But we don't want to just give them the video.

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<v Speaker 2>We'll give them a clip, but have it linked back to our lead gen form, cause if they just take the video, we'll give them a clip but have it linked back to our lead gen form, because if they just take the video and put it on their site, then they're not really collecting leads.

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<v Speaker 2>What I've learned is it's not you know how many people watch a webinar.

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<v Speaker 2>They're always like what are the titles, what are the names?

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<v Speaker 2>Is it all C-suite?

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<v Speaker 2>It's not just quantity, it's quality.

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<v Speaker 2>You know you can have an event with a thousand people, but if they're the wrong people it doesn't matter.

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<v Speaker 2>But if you have an event with 200 people and they're like all the executives that you've been trying to reach for two years, that makes a difference.

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<v Speaker 2>So it's really quality, you know.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, so I want to you know, because I think this is all so interesting.

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<v Speaker 1>I've walked, well, I walk every trade show.

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<v Speaker 2>And.

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<v Speaker 1>I was at Licensing Expo recently and then I was at the Fancy Food Fair, the fancy food show, and it was amazing.

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<v Speaker 1>If anybody can get an invite, I strongly recommend, because they say come hungry Because everyone's there.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, it's ridiculous, the food is just insane.

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<v Speaker 1>And licensing expo I think they were saying it was one of the best, but it's actually, it wasn't massive.

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<v Speaker 1>But the essence of interactivity at these shows makes them worth going and I've been to most recently, the most recent round of trade shows, and as a designer or a small brand or an independent brand or even an established brand, I struggle with trying to recommend being part of trade shows, unless you're one of those.

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<v Speaker 1>I call them trade show gypsy brands, where that's their lifeline, where they're at every single trade show they go to.

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<v Speaker 1>You know they're in Atlanta at the gift show, then the apparel show and then the footwear show and then they just do that circuit.

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<v Speaker 1>It's really interesting because I feel like the big, big shows don't serve the purpose anymore that they used to.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, well, it's really exhausting and I think if you're a very small brand you don't always have the resources.

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<v Speaker 2>You know a lot of times you'll see in a brand they have their husband there or they maybe have their kid helping out and you can't be at four trade shows at once because you don't have four sets of samples or it's too expensive to make all those samples.

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<v Speaker 2>So it can be exhausting.

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<v Speaker 2>But I think you know they can be really inspiring.

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<v Speaker 2>You see people in the industry, there's panel discussions.

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<v Speaker 2>You know I've sat on panels and I've moderated panels and usually people you get kind of jazzed up when you go to these shows.

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<v Speaker 2>So it depends if you're looking at it like the dollar ROI, which might be hard to quantify.

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<v Speaker 2>But I think if you're in the industry you should at least go to something.

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<v Speaker 2>You know you don't want to just be like sitting and making product in your living room and shipping it out.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean I guess you would do that if you just have this like D to C model and you're just doing it on your own.

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<v Speaker 2>But if you really want to connect with retailers, you know it's not only about getting into Macy's, it's about, you know, thousands of independent stores that are around the country and the way to really connect with them is to go to a trade show, because they're literally walking the aisle.

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<v Speaker 2>But yeah, I mean it's tough to kind of wrangle them into your, into your booth, but people have.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, I've, I've seen everything.

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<v Speaker 2>You know some people come up with really clever booths and really fun and eye-catchy and it just makes you want to go in and be like what's happening here?

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<v Speaker 2>What do you do?

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<v Speaker 2>What do you make?

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<v Speaker 2>So I think you need to be smart and creative and not just do like a what do they call it?

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<v Speaker 2>Pipe, pipe and drape.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, the last trade show I went to that was packed was because she had a tarot card reader and people line up for that.

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<v Speaker 1>And I just keep thinking like, even at the like B2B level at a trade show, you want people to come in, you have to be clever, you have to be on the box, you have to be creative, or else, unless your product is so groundbreaking which I think is physically impossible right now there's got to be I don't want to say gimmick, but there has to be a story around it to make it worth even stopping by.

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<v Speaker 2>Right, and I've heard stories of people you know they have their friends come and kind of mill around the booth so the booth looks busy because when you walk by you think what's going over there?

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<v Speaker 2>You know this booth is empty and the booth next to it is 30 people in it.

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<v Speaker 2>So you can kind of create your own buzz.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, it's almost like a restaurant that puts a velvet rope and there's people waiting in line and then you get in and there's nobody there at rope.

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<v Speaker 2>And there's people waiting in line and then you get in and there's nobody there, right?

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<v Speaker 2>But you can create a bit of that hype, I think, if you have a little creativity.

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<v Speaker 1>You know what I did for my brand 800 million thousand years ago.

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<v Speaker 1>I put an ad on Craigslist and I hired models.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, in some cities I didn't even know what they look like because there was really no way to find out.

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<v Speaker 1>Right, I would pay them hourly to go to the mall and bring their friends whichever store had it at key point times, to pick up the product, act with the product and then come back and then just to make it look like there's a huddle because to spend I don't know a hundred bucks for two hours worth of pretty girls looking at your product.

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<v Speaker 1>The sell-through showed for it.

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<v Speaker 2>No, it's true.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, look, when I go in a bookstore then I see my friend's books.

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<v Speaker 2>I always take those books and put them on top.

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<v Speaker 2>It's like you need.

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<v Speaker 2>You know it takes a village right.

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<v Speaker 2>So you need to create a little bit of hype.

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<v Speaker 2>And I think also, obviously, you do need good product.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean you could a good story, because people want something to write about instead of like here's a new bag and it's brown and it's leather and it needs to have a good story, because people like a good story and now everyone kind of wants a sustainability story if there is one that they can kind of weave into the narrative and something to write about, because consumers are asking about sustainability and that's something that we do write about a lot.

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<v Speaker 2>So I think it's smart that companies who have something good to say in that world pay attention to it, put it on their website and use it when they pitch to an editor.

00:17:32.548 --> 00:17:52.874
<v Speaker 1>But do you think, like, from the sustainability angle you know it really is tough, and I speak to this with my students that if you can't afford to incorporate sustainability because it is expensive, make sure you at least have one piece of your collection that is so.

00:17:52.874 --> 00:18:02.009
<v Speaker 1>At least it gives the overview that you are being transparent, at least about a portion, or you're making an effort somewhere somehow.

00:18:02.009 --> 00:18:03.776
<v Speaker 1>Do you think that's enough?

00:18:04.578 --> 00:18:06.665
<v Speaker 2>I think it's interesting you brought that up.

00:18:06.665 --> 00:18:08.490
<v Speaker 2>It can be a bit of a catch-22.

00:18:08.490 --> 00:18:14.670
<v Speaker 2>And sometimes big retailers let's say they do they call it greenwashing.

00:18:15.371 --> 00:18:27.692
<v Speaker 2>Well, let's say, they come up with a collection that's completely sustainable, it's recycled, it's using 50% less water to produce, it's made with ethical processes, you know, x, y and Z is completely legit.

00:18:27.692 --> 00:18:33.192
<v Speaker 2>And they're so proud of it and they're so excited and they do a whole ad campaign and they say, look, we created this.

00:18:33.192 --> 00:18:35.333
<v Speaker 2>You know, check this out, write about it.

00:18:35.333 --> 00:18:37.493
<v Speaker 2>It's, you know, 10% of our line.

00:18:37.493 --> 00:18:40.316
<v Speaker 2>And then people say, well, what about the other 90%?

00:18:40.316 --> 00:18:44.118
<v Speaker 2>So the other 90% of your line is like, you know, child labor.

00:18:44.118 --> 00:18:53.700
<v Speaker 2>I'm just joking, but like, sometimes it can create this dichotomy where you're saying, well, this is great, but then it can draw attention to that the rest is not.

00:18:53.880 --> 00:18:58.775
<v Speaker 2>And one thing that people tell me is you can't let perfection get in the way of progress.

00:18:58.775 --> 00:19:07.170
<v Speaker 2>So if you are doing something that it's, it's a great, first of all, it's just a great credo in life to live by, embroider it on a pillow or something.

00:19:07.170 --> 00:19:14.763
<v Speaker 2>But they're saying that you shouldn't be afraid to make a sustainable collection of 10%, because people might say, what about the other 90%?

00:19:14.763 --> 00:19:25.124
<v Speaker 2>Because it's moving in the right direction and it just it brings awareness, and then maybe the next year it would be 50%, or you know what I'm saying, like it's, it's progress.

00:19:25.203 --> 00:19:37.465
<v Speaker 2>And you, you try to invite people on as they call your sustainable journey and you try to be really transparent and you write about it in your blog and you explain what you're doing and you say, look, we're not there yet, but we're working towards it.

00:19:37.465 --> 00:19:49.711
<v Speaker 2>And to just be really transparent can be a way instead of just saying, oh well, these bags are vegan and then, yeah, but actually they're made of plastic, which is actually not very sustainable.

00:19:49.711 --> 00:19:52.251
<v Speaker 2>But yes, no animal was harmed in the making of this.

00:19:52.251 --> 00:19:55.713
<v Speaker 2>So consumers are kind of wising up to that a bit.

00:19:56.134 --> 00:20:04.297
<v Speaker 1>But do you think, from a journalistic point of view, that brands designers, small brands designers?

00:20:04.297 --> 00:20:06.478
<v Speaker 1>Because I think a lot of people.

00:20:06.478 --> 00:20:11.940
<v Speaker 1>What makes them go to PU or what they call vegan leather, which is a little BS?

00:20:11.940 --> 00:20:20.726
<v Speaker 1>We both know that they're going to the faux materials because they can't afford leather and therefore that becomes their scope.

00:20:20.726 --> 00:20:32.772
<v Speaker 1>And is it easier for a PU-based brand, a quote-unquote vegan leather brand, to be sustainable versus a leather brand?

00:20:32.772 --> 00:20:34.837
<v Speaker 1>Because a leather brand can be sustainable too?

00:20:35.845 --> 00:20:40.326
<v Speaker 1>If you ever wanted to start a handbag brand and didn't know where to start, this is for you.

00:20:40.326 --> 00:20:46.166
<v Speaker 1>If you had dreams of becoming a handbag designer but aren't trained in design, this is for you.

00:20:46.166 --> 00:20:50.798
<v Speaker 1>If you have a handbag brand and need strategy and direction, this is for you.

00:20:50.798 --> 00:20:59.412
<v Speaker 1>I'm Emily Blumenthal, handbag designer expert and handbag fairy godmother, and this is the Handbag Designer 101 Masterclass.

00:20:59.412 --> 00:21:15.986
<v Speaker 1>Over the next 10 classes, I will break down everything you need to know to make, manufacture and market a handbag brand, broken down, to ensure that you will not only skip steps in the handbag building process, but also to save money to avoid the learning curve of costly mistakes.

00:21:16.487 --> 00:21:27.135
<v Speaker 1>For the past 20 years, I've been teaching at the top fashion universities in New York City, wrote the Handbag Designer Bible, founded the Handbag Awards and created the only Handbag Designer podcast.

00:21:27.135 --> 00:21:33.717
<v Speaker 1>I'm going to show you like I have countless brands to create in this in-depth course, from sketch to sample to sale.

00:21:33.717 --> 00:21:43.818
<v Speaker 1>Whether you're just starting out and don't even know where to start or begin, or if you've had a brand and need some strategic direction, the Handbag Designer 101 Masterclass is just for you.

00:21:43.818 --> 00:21:47.664
<v Speaker 1>So let's get started and you'll be the creator of the next it bag.

00:21:47.664 --> 00:21:52.057
<v Speaker 1>Join me, emily Blumenthal, in the Handbag Designer 101 Masterclass.

00:21:52.057 --> 00:22:04.093
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00:22:08.066 --> 00:22:08.688
<v Speaker 2>Well, leather.

00:22:08.688 --> 00:22:23.941
<v Speaker 2>You know, some people say leather is not so great either because you have to tan it and there's certain chromium, there's certain chemicals that are used in the tanning of leather and, of course, even though leather is a food byproduct, cows are very detrimental to the environment.

00:22:23.941 --> 00:22:32.603
<v Speaker 2>So, you know, if you got rid of cows completely, if you know the whole world wasn't eating meat and was vegan and you wouldn't have leather, that would probably be better on the earth.

00:22:32.603 --> 00:22:37.155
<v Speaker 2>So, even though I love leather, there's a lot of people say, well, leather handbags aren't so great either.

00:22:37.155 --> 00:22:40.625
<v Speaker 2>There's a lot of people say, well, leather handbags aren't so great either.

00:22:41.345 --> 00:22:43.648
<v Speaker 2>I mean, look the answer to all this is just not to buy anything.

00:22:43.648 --> 00:22:45.592
<v Speaker 2>I mean, look, when you work in fashion, it's funny.

00:22:45.592 --> 00:22:54.561
<v Speaker 2>You know all these brands talk about how they're making this item more sustainable, which is good, but to really be sustainable would be if nobody bought anything.

00:22:54.561 --> 00:22:56.022
<v Speaker 2>But you know that's not going to happen.

00:22:56.022 --> 00:22:58.813
<v Speaker 2>So you try to be more sustainable.

00:22:58.813 --> 00:23:01.390
<v Speaker 2>But yeah, for small brands it's tricky.

00:23:01.390 --> 00:23:13.234
<v Speaker 2>They're small and they don't have the money and they're going to make what they make and work with what they work with, and it's not going to be perfect and at certain price points, I don't think people expect it to be sustainable.

00:23:13.276 --> 00:23:16.837
<v Speaker 2>I mean, look, people are shopping on Shein and Timu China.

00:23:16.837 --> 00:23:18.704
<v Speaker 2>I mean that's not sustainable.

00:23:18.704 --> 00:23:21.116
<v Speaker 2>Shopping on Xi'an and Timu, you know, china?

00:23:21.116 --> 00:23:22.704
<v Speaker 2>I mean that's not sustainable.

00:23:22.704 --> 00:23:26.708
<v Speaker 2>And they're still making stuff.

00:23:26.708 --> 00:23:27.832
<v Speaker 2>So look, there's a market for it.

00:23:27.832 --> 00:23:30.924
<v Speaker 2>But no, I was just gonna say that you know it's up to consumers to consume and purchase how they want to.

00:23:30.924 --> 00:23:35.676
<v Speaker 2>So I guess you could just say you're giving them options and they could buy it or not buy it.

00:23:36.464 --> 00:23:39.214
<v Speaker 1>You know I always tell the brands.

00:23:39.214 --> 00:23:45.114
<v Speaker 1>I mean I teach this too when people one of the I should have you as a guest speaker.

00:23:45.114 --> 00:23:47.030
<v Speaker 1>I'm totally gonna do that this semester.

00:23:47.030 --> 00:23:50.112
<v Speaker 1>I have to book my schedule, so consider yourself booked.

00:23:50.112 --> 00:23:53.409
<v Speaker 1>I'll just tell you the deal.

00:23:53.429 --> 00:24:11.432
<v Speaker 1>I have to work backwards, I can't even know, but I say people frown upon saying this particular product we are going to give away X percentage of sale, and I always say that's a mistake because there's never a guarantee.

00:24:11.432 --> 00:24:13.135
<v Speaker 1>Number one, that that product will sell.

00:24:13.135 --> 00:24:17.352
<v Speaker 1>Number two if it doesn't, then like what?

00:24:17.352 --> 00:24:21.358
<v Speaker 1>Are you going to say $2,000 or say you know we were able to gift?

00:24:21.358 --> 00:24:54.808
<v Speaker 1>I would say like, if you're going to have a socially responsible part of your brand, make sure it's something that it can continue in an ongoing basis, that it's an act of give back, like we work with this particular group and on an ongoing basis we support what they're doing or we specifically use their product, their hand-woven materials for this particular bag, therefore enforcing that we are always keeping some sort of element of social responsibility to a give back.

00:24:55.108 --> 00:25:03.372
<v Speaker 2>I think that oh, versus like one, one item, to say, this one bag is like we're gonna give 50% or it's never 50%.

00:25:03.412 --> 00:25:11.470
<v Speaker 1>They always say a percentage of sale, so they're never transparent about that and that always bothers me because I don't know how many people are saying well, how many sold what was it?

00:25:11.470 --> 00:25:12.993
<v Speaker 1>You know which cost did?

00:25:13.013 --> 00:25:13.936
<v Speaker 2>you did you get?

00:25:13.936 --> 00:25:15.608
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I mean, nobody's following up.

00:25:15.608 --> 00:25:17.653
<v Speaker 2>You know, no consumer is call.

00:25:17.653 --> 00:25:26.277
<v Speaker 2>I mean maybe somebody would, but no one's really following up a year later to say you know how much did you really donate, you know how much was really made.

00:25:26.277 --> 00:25:31.308
<v Speaker 2>It's more like if we're writing it up as an editor, we're saying you know, this is what it is, this is what it cost.

00:25:31.308 --> 00:25:37.718
<v Speaker 2>They say they're going to, they're going to do this and you know, am I following up eight months later to make sure they really did?

00:25:37.718 --> 00:25:42.991
<v Speaker 2>No, so you have to kind of trust that people are honest, do you?

00:25:43.172 --> 00:25:53.817
<v Speaker 1>think from an editorial perspective, because I get these questions a lot and there are so few editors left where it's not pay to play.

00:25:53.817 --> 00:26:00.203
<v Speaker 1>I mean you said so yourself, like, in this day and age, any publication if there's I mean you said so yourself, like, in this day and age, any publication if there.

00:26:00.203 --> 00:26:02.190
<v Speaker 1>I mean how many are actually print left?

00:26:02.190 --> 00:26:05.400
<v Speaker 1>Not a lot, but anything that's even online.

00:26:05.400 --> 00:26:10.614
<v Speaker 1>I know from the asks like we need to make sure that we can connect it to an affiliate link.

00:26:10.614 --> 00:26:11.676
<v Speaker 1>It needs to be through.

00:26:11.676 --> 00:26:12.946
<v Speaker 1>It was sold through Amazon.

00:26:12.946 --> 00:26:20.298
<v Speaker 1>How do you think a smaller designer can work around that to try and get covered?

00:26:20.919 --> 00:26:24.431
<v Speaker 2>Well, I wouldn't say that all editorial is pay to play.

00:26:24.431 --> 00:26:27.965
<v Speaker 2>I mean, from my point of view, from the studio, that is pay to play.

00:26:27.965 --> 00:26:33.258
<v Speaker 2>But, like I said, that's not editorial, that is an advertorial and it's very it's specified.

00:26:33.258 --> 00:26:38.551
<v Speaker 2>And you know the editors are going around the industry trying to find what's new, trying to find the news.

00:26:38.551 --> 00:26:44.381
<v Speaker 2>You know some company that's a fashion brand that never had handbags, launched a handbag line.

00:26:44.381 --> 00:26:45.386
<v Speaker 2>You know that's news.

00:26:45.386 --> 00:26:46.609
<v Speaker 2>So they're going to write about that.

00:26:46.609 --> 00:26:49.857
<v Speaker 2>That's not a pay to play article.

00:26:49.857 --> 00:26:53.333
<v Speaker 2>And then if that company, you know so that's going to go for edit.

00:26:53.333 --> 00:27:01.608
<v Speaker 2>And then if they want to buy a fireside chat, you know, six months later, to talk about how it's doing, that's a paid sponsorship.

00:27:01.608 --> 00:27:06.958
<v Speaker 2>I wouldn't say that it's all pay to play on the edit side.

00:27:07.419 --> 00:27:26.616
<v Speaker 1>I wouldn't say that Do you think, though, and just because you've been pitched a quadrillion times, a quadrillion times, what do you think, in this day and age, are key points that you look for to ensure that someone is worthy of a story?

00:27:26.616 --> 00:27:30.686
<v Speaker 1>Do you think a physical press release is still necessary?

00:27:30.686 --> 00:27:35.136
<v Speaker 1>Do they need to have a large following on all social platforms?

00:27:35.136 --> 00:27:37.468
<v Speaker 1>Like, what are the thing key points that you look for?

00:27:37.468 --> 00:27:38.671
<v Speaker 1>That you would say you know what.

00:27:38.671 --> 00:27:40.394
<v Speaker 1>They've got this, but they don't have that.

00:27:40.394 --> 00:27:41.477
<v Speaker 1>Therefore, I cannot.

00:27:41.477 --> 00:27:41.778
<v Speaker 1>We're.

00:27:41.778 --> 00:27:42.547
<v Speaker 1>Oh, you know what.

00:27:42.547 --> 00:27:43.269
<v Speaker 1>That's enough.

00:27:44.250 --> 00:27:46.076
<v Speaker 2>I actually did a panel with you on this.

00:27:46.076 --> 00:27:57.090
<v Speaker 2>Remember I do 10 years ago and I do editor and it all seems so obvious to me and how to pitch someone, and everyone was taking notes and I was like, is this not obvious?

00:27:57.090 --> 00:27:59.195
<v Speaker 2>I know you have to include a picture.

00:27:59.195 --> 00:28:00.818
<v Speaker 2>I remember you have to include your website.

00:28:00.818 --> 00:28:07.134
<v Speaker 2>So I always say, you know, just from the logistics point of view, like forget even like the content for a second.

00:28:07.134 --> 00:28:09.152
<v Speaker 2>Editors are really, really busy.

00:28:09.152 --> 00:28:12.792
<v Speaker 2>They have like hundreds of emails so it has to be easy, right?

00:28:12.792 --> 00:28:13.971
<v Speaker 2>You shouldn't send an email.

00:28:23.085 --> 00:28:26.277
<v Speaker 1>Can I send you some pictures and a pitch about my story and then you have to write them back and say, yes, please send it to me, and then like, just send it right.

00:28:26.277 --> 00:28:27.279
<v Speaker 1>Well, you're one of the people who does write back.

00:28:27.279 --> 00:28:28.223
<v Speaker 1>So that's a comma side note, not everybody does.

00:28:28.243 --> 00:28:32.269
<v Speaker 2>But if you say like, can I say it's just one extra layer, that maybe they'll miss it.

00:28:32.269 --> 00:28:34.952
<v Speaker 2>So if you just send it, I think is is helpful.

00:28:34.952 --> 00:28:38.356
<v Speaker 2>I always say a press release is helpful.

00:28:38.356 --> 00:28:49.511
<v Speaker 2>You can put quotes in there that if the editor doesn't have time to call and do an interview on their own, they can use a quote from the press release, which I think is really helpful.

00:28:49.511 --> 00:28:54.373
<v Speaker 2>If it's something from the designer, maybe it's placed with a retailer and the retailer had a quote.

00:28:54.373 --> 00:28:57.527
<v Speaker 2>I mean, that might be harder to get, but and the other thing.

00:28:57.527 --> 00:29:00.732
<v Speaker 2>So let's say you send the press release as an attachment.

00:29:01.173 --> 00:29:17.646
<v Speaker 2>I think it's also really important to also cut and paste it in the body copy of the email and maybe embed a picture in that, because so many people they're on the go, they're on their subway and they're like, they're like reading it on their phone and they maybe can't download the whole press release to their phone or they don't want to use their.

00:29:17.646 --> 00:29:18.446
<v Speaker 2>You know they don't want to use their.

00:29:18.446 --> 00:29:19.847
<v Speaker 2>You know they don't have enough space.

00:29:19.847 --> 00:29:22.449
<v Speaker 2>Everyone has like 18 billion photos, like I do.

00:29:22.449 --> 00:29:24.529
<v Speaker 2>I can't have time, I can't download things.

00:29:24.750 --> 00:29:25.750
<v Speaker 1>I just buy more memory.

00:29:25.750 --> 00:29:27.832
<v Speaker 1>At this point, I don't even know what's going to happen.

00:29:28.471 --> 00:29:35.997
<v Speaker 2>But if you just make it really easy, like they can see what the picture is, and then maybe you have a link to a Dropbox, so that's not eating up their data.

00:29:35.997 --> 00:29:41.419
<v Speaker 2>You know you could link to more pictures, but you know, just be really clear and make the press release.

00:29:41.419 --> 00:29:48.222
<v Speaker 2>Tell them you know what it is, why it's unique, what it's made of, what's the price, what white space is it trying to fill?

00:29:48.222 --> 00:29:52.209
<v Speaker 2>You know if you can give them all that information.

00:29:52.209 --> 00:29:56.970
<v Speaker 2>So if they don't have time to call back, like I said, and do that follow up interview, the information is already there.

00:29:56.970 --> 00:30:04.248
<v Speaker 2>They don't have to make that call.

00:30:04.268 --> 00:30:05.413
<v Speaker 2>What's the price and where are you going to sell it?

00:30:05.413 --> 00:30:07.320
<v Speaker 2>And it's just like anything that they might think to ask if you could put that in the pitch.

00:30:07.320 --> 00:30:07.702
<v Speaker 2>It is very helpful.

00:30:07.702 --> 00:30:16.152
<v Speaker 2>And then maybe this editor finds that at the last minute a story fell through and they have the space that they have to fill by five o'clock and then they have your pitch and everything's already there.

00:30:16.152 --> 00:30:17.354
<v Speaker 2>It's like good to go.

00:30:17.354 --> 00:30:20.058
<v Speaker 2>So that's always really helpful.

00:30:20.058 --> 00:30:31.069
<v Speaker 2>And now, as far as content, like I said, anytime there's something you want to be different, but you don't want to be so different where the editor thinks well, who would ever buy this?

00:30:31.069 --> 00:30:33.093
<v Speaker 2>Because that's not so helpful either.

00:30:33.093 --> 00:30:39.085
<v Speaker 2>So it has to be something that is still wearable, usable.

00:30:40.006 --> 00:30:45.011
<v Speaker 1>I spoke to a designer not so long ago and you know I have a masterclass.

00:30:45.011 --> 00:31:01.404
<v Speaker 1>I have a handbag designer 101 masterclass that basically you know it speaks to what you just talked about, but it also covers all the things to avoid those pitfalls, like working with a sample maker is $7,000 today in New York City.

00:31:01.404 --> 00:31:04.887
<v Speaker 1>And I have said they're like oh, that's so crazy.

00:31:04.887 --> 00:31:18.288
<v Speaker 1>And I said if you think about the time, value of money that they need to put into work with you, it actually isn't, because you probably won't come back, you're not prepared, you don't know how to work with them, you don't know how to speak with them and it's going to have mistakes.

00:31:18.288 --> 00:31:22.414
<v Speaker 1>So they might as well make money off of you and know that.

00:31:22.414 --> 00:31:26.221
<v Speaker 1>You know you're not going to come back because you don't know what you're doing.

00:31:26.221 --> 00:31:27.742
<v Speaker 1>So you know.

00:31:27.742 --> 00:31:30.246
<v Speaker 1>That's why I created this masterclass to cut all that.

00:31:30.246 --> 00:31:35.301
<v Speaker 1>So when you do finally speak to a sample maker, you're fluent with what they need, you're prepared, you've got everything ready.

00:31:35.301 --> 00:31:53.365
<v Speaker 1>But there are still so many designers that are creating bags that are in the thousands because they think that it is something that's never been done before and everybody is tired of wearing their Louis and Gucci and Chanel and it's like actually nobody's tired of those bags.

00:31:53.365 --> 00:31:55.612
<v Speaker 1>If anything, they're going to buy it.

00:31:55.612 --> 00:32:03.852
<v Speaker 1>On a circular economy, which we've just had a couple we've just had some great speakers on the podcast speaking about that from what goes around, comes around and also from the real reveal.

00:32:04.153 --> 00:32:09.914
<v Speaker 1>But in terms of creating a unique selling point, I think the burden really falls on the designers now.

00:32:09.914 --> 00:32:12.221
<v Speaker 1>Like, there was this brand, opan.

00:32:12.221 --> 00:32:13.672
<v Speaker 1>I don't know if you know them.

00:32:13.672 --> 00:32:18.247
<v Speaker 1>They were from Singapore and it is such a wild story about this brand.

00:32:18.247 --> 00:32:27.257
<v Speaker 1>I'm so fascinated by it that they got all the right celebrities wearing it and it was a geometric bag and it was cut in half on the side it was sloped.

00:32:27.257 --> 00:32:29.672
<v Speaker 1>They never spoke about who they were.

00:32:29.672 --> 00:32:41.074
<v Speaker 1>You never heard anything about the founders or the people, to my understanding as somebody who was connected to a factory, and they made a lot of headway and then they made announcement we're shutting down.

00:32:41.074 --> 00:32:45.951
<v Speaker 1>I think they've been around for three years, but it's like, okay, buy it while you can.

00:32:45.951 --> 00:32:55.162
<v Speaker 1>This is taylor swift's favorite bag and I just was so fascinated, like I'm so dying to hear what the backstory is as to the who and the why.

00:32:55.951 --> 00:32:59.961
<v Speaker 2>But yeah, I think if people want to hear that backstory, especially if you want to be.

00:32:59.961 --> 00:33:02.174
<v Speaker 2>You know consumers are more open to indie brands.

00:33:02.174 --> 00:33:10.617
<v Speaker 2>They're not only buying the designer brands anymore and they like the discovery, and they can discover them on social media and through all this self-promotion.

00:33:10.617 --> 00:33:19.303
<v Speaker 2>But you know, if you're going to spend thousands of dollars on something and yes, the quality has to be there, it can't just be, you know, hype.

00:33:19.303 --> 00:33:21.419
<v Speaker 2>But they're going to want to know the story.

00:33:21.419 --> 00:33:24.833
<v Speaker 2>You know who are the designers and where did they source the material.

00:33:24.833 --> 00:33:29.453
<v Speaker 2>You know maybe it's from Italy or what you know now they talk about.

00:33:29.473 --> 00:33:31.544
<v Speaker 2>You know cashmere, not in handbags but in clothing.

00:33:31.544 --> 00:33:35.876
<v Speaker 2>You know they show pictures of them on this, the trip to Mongolia.

00:33:35.876 --> 00:33:38.542
<v Speaker 2>Or you know the cashmere and they show the goats.

00:33:38.542 --> 00:33:39.932
<v Speaker 2>People like that.

00:33:39.932 --> 00:33:45.403
<v Speaker 2>So if you are going to charge that much money, I think you need to really work on your story.

00:33:45.403 --> 00:33:50.077
<v Speaker 2>I mean, you don't want to make it up, but there should be a compelling story, right?

00:33:50.077 --> 00:33:57.057
<v Speaker 2>Oh, it's something to make it worth that much money if the materials are really that high end and you need to carry that story across.

00:33:57.858 --> 00:34:01.392
<v Speaker 1>Do you think you know I've spoken about this.

00:34:01.392 --> 00:34:27.967
<v Speaker 1>I know other people have, but it's interesting in terms of what other industries impact fashion and so forth, like colors and shapes and like, for example, like the auto industry and I'm only obviously speaking about handbags, but the connection between the colored palette, with cars going to handbags, and the shapes and you know, certain ways things are being promoted and marketed.

00:34:27.967 --> 00:34:31.661
<v Speaker 1>Do you find that is something that is indicative of what's to come?

00:34:31.661 --> 00:34:38.358
<v Speaker 1>Or is there any other industry you can think like look to this because it'll give you an idea of what's coming, trend wise.

00:34:39.690 --> 00:34:42.844
<v Speaker 2>Well, it's always so interesting to see how trends bubble up.

00:34:42.844 --> 00:34:49.193
<v Speaker 2>You know, from the bottom, which, of course, is so different, how they were, you know, 30 years ago, when everything was just top down.

00:34:49.193 --> 00:34:52.280
<v Speaker 2>I mean, now you have this Charlie XC.

00:34:52.280 --> 00:35:03.302
<v Speaker 2>I mean I don't want to get into politics, but this Charlie XCS, you know, with this brat summer, and now Kamala Harris took that green color and put it on her homepage, use that color to tap into Gen Z.

00:35:03.302 --> 00:35:05.152
<v Speaker 2>You know that's interesting.

00:35:05.152 --> 00:35:08.617
<v Speaker 2>You know that these young people and that musicians are coming up with this stuff.

00:35:08.617 --> 00:35:31.222
<v Speaker 2>Or you know, taylor Swift does something and all of a sudden, you know, of course the influencers and the celebrities are still what they do really trickles up, but it I always found it interesting when I watched these trend reports from fashion snoops or WGSN, and they have, like, their fashion colors and you know their fashion reports, but then they have one from another industry and I'm always like, is it that different, right?

00:35:31.222 --> 00:35:32.425
<v Speaker 2>Well, I guess it is.

00:35:32.465 --> 00:35:44.012
<v Speaker 2>You know, if you're going to do homewares, home decor, you know it's going to be more simple and what you know, beige and gray, and now everything is like sage, but of course, in apparel it could be anything right?

00:35:44.012 --> 00:35:46.077
<v Speaker 2>So but yeah, there's this whole you.

00:35:46.077 --> 00:35:54.693
<v Speaker 2>You're starting to see a lot of sage green in home decor, which I think is interesting, but you're also seeing the bright green in apparel.

00:35:54.693 --> 00:36:04.001
<v Speaker 2>So it's like the colors kind of come out and then they're appropriated by different industries in different ways, like that Barbie pink, you know was such a big thing.

00:36:04.001 --> 00:36:06.014
<v Speaker 2>You didn't really see Barbie pink in home decor.

00:36:06.014 --> 00:36:11.304
<v Speaker 2>Maybe you'd see it in a pillow or something, but it was so big in apparel and I guess in handbags too.

00:36:11.304 --> 00:36:16.463
<v Speaker 2>But maybe it'll segue into like a berry, if the pink is too young or too bright.

00:36:16.869 --> 00:36:22.983
<v Speaker 1>Well, right now vintage pink, which is kind of like a dirty pink, is trending and it's.

00:36:22.983 --> 00:36:29.494
<v Speaker 1>I don't know, I'm an outlier, I've never liked pink, it's never been for me, it's never been anything I've wanted to be part of.

00:36:29.494 --> 00:36:36.360
<v Speaker 1>But I tried actually with one of my brand launches to push what they called Gen Z yellow.

00:36:36.360 --> 00:36:45.987
<v Speaker 1>And I have a dear friend who was a designer, who got really burned out and then just opened up a toy store in upstate New York.

00:36:45.987 --> 00:37:07.038
<v Speaker 1>And I was telling her for my next brand that I'm launching with Savvy Susanna for kids and handbags, and I was talking to her about another particular kids jewelry brand where the boxes are yellow and so clean and so refined, and she said to me it would sell better if it's pink.

00:37:07.038 --> 00:37:08.882
<v Speaker 1>And I said you've got to be kidding.

00:37:08.969 --> 00:37:14.583
<v Speaker 1>And she said, look, as industry people, as designers, we can only dictate so much.

00:37:14.583 --> 00:37:18.460
<v Speaker 1>We do not control the pervading view of how people consume.

00:37:18.460 --> 00:37:25.655
<v Speaker 1>And you can say that we are segmenting, that we aren't segmenting for gender, we have everything that way.

00:37:25.655 --> 00:37:26.820
<v Speaker 1>Everything is for everybody.

00:37:26.820 --> 00:37:33.554
<v Speaker 1>But at the end of the day, blue sells for boys, pink sells better for girls and you can't fight that if you want your product to sell.

00:37:33.554 --> 00:37:38.532
<v Speaker 1>So there's only so much pioneer you can be if you're creating a product that you want people to buy.

00:37:38.532 --> 00:37:46.559
<v Speaker 1>Right, it's like how much can you afford to go trying to change the world before you realize, okay, people aren't going to buy this.

00:37:46.559 --> 00:37:49.650
<v Speaker 1>I have to, I'm going to have to give in, like that?

00:37:51.393 --> 00:37:53.778
<v Speaker 2>I think you can personalize within.

00:37:53.778 --> 00:38:01.393
<v Speaker 2>I forget there was a great phrase I think it was called collected individualism that I heard you know.

00:38:01.393 --> 00:38:04.032
<v Speaker 2>So everyone's going to have an iPhone right, I'll have an Android.

00:38:04.032 --> 00:38:05.619
<v Speaker 2>But everyone has a cell phone I know you do.

00:38:05.619 --> 00:38:09.097
<v Speaker 2>But then everyone's going to decorate that phone in different ways.

00:38:09.097 --> 00:38:13.137
<v Speaker 2>You know you're going to have a different type of case or you're going to have a different home screen on it.

00:38:13.137 --> 00:38:18.637
<v Speaker 2>So it's like it's collective that everyone has it, but you still want to stand out in your own way.

00:38:18.637 --> 00:38:23.391
<v Speaker 2>Or everyone's going to wear jeans, but some people are going to wear baggy jeans and some people are going to you know.

00:38:23.391 --> 00:38:29.577
<v Speaker 2>So you still have to know what the overarching trends are that people want.

00:38:29.577 --> 00:38:36.222
<v Speaker 2>I think you can't just completely design in a vacuum and just think it's going to sell because you like it.

00:38:36.222 --> 00:38:44.253
<v Speaker 2>I think you need to know what's happening, your customer and your customer Exactly Because different customers want different things.

00:38:44.253 --> 00:38:47.380
<v Speaker 2>So you know it's not easy, but there are so many brands out there, different things.

00:38:47.380 --> 00:38:50.048
<v Speaker 2>So you know it's not easy, but there are so many brands out there.

00:38:50.068 --> 00:38:55.677
<v Speaker 2>And now you know, with the, the internet and social media, you have all the the copycats that you didn't have that as much, you know, decades ago.

00:38:55.677 --> 00:38:59.731
<v Speaker 2>I mean, of course people would always riff off each other, but now it's like.

00:38:59.731 --> 00:39:05.398
<v Speaker 2>I mean I remember at accessories magazine there was a company I saw at a trade show and I really liked them.

00:39:05.398 --> 00:39:13.652
<v Speaker 2>I wanted to do a story on them and they said no, because once we put it in your magazine it's just going to get copied because it's spreading the word.

00:39:13.652 --> 00:39:16.282
<v Speaker 2>I said, well, I guess that's a risk, you know.

00:39:16.282 --> 00:39:19.172
<v Speaker 2>I mean, right, you're getting exposure.

00:39:19.172 --> 00:39:21.458
<v Speaker 2>So you could say exposure is a catch 22,.

00:39:21.458 --> 00:39:22.961
<v Speaker 2>But I guess you have to make the decision.

00:39:22.961 --> 00:39:29.431
<v Speaker 2>Is it worth it to you, right?

00:39:29.431 --> 00:39:29.693
<v Speaker 2>Not, you know.

00:39:29.693 --> 00:39:30.795
<v Speaker 2>No one's going to buy it if you don't get any exposure.

00:39:30.795 --> 00:39:31.418
<v Speaker 2>But someone might copy it.

00:39:31.418 --> 00:39:36.878
<v Speaker 2>You can't really sue them for copy infringement if you're a tiny brand, and by the time you do and spend all that money, the trend's over anyway.

00:39:36.978 --> 00:39:54.579
<v Speaker 1>So it's like and I've told designers this, that again the green designers not green as in, sustainable, green as in new, but how they walk around with NDAs, non-disclosure agreements that they want factories to sign or editors to sign or me to sign, and I said bless your cotton socks, I'll sign it.

00:39:54.579 --> 00:39:59.601
<v Speaker 1>No one's knocking you off until you have a product that sells.

00:39:59.601 --> 00:40:08.541
<v Speaker 1>Right, if you have a product that doesn't sell, you know you could make a handbag that's an upside down vase and say that it's the messiah of handbags and you split the atom.

00:40:08.541 --> 00:40:10.996
<v Speaker 1>But if no one's buying it, no one's going to copy it.

00:40:10.996 --> 00:40:13.371
<v Speaker 1>It's that simple, you know.

00:40:13.371 --> 00:40:21.617
<v Speaker 1>I just want to wrap up with some and I know you, you cover all categories, but just specifically the handbags.

00:40:21.617 --> 00:40:36.851
<v Speaker 1>If you can give your final thoughts on handbags thoughts, trends, anything that people can take away in that capacity, just purely based on your experience, I find the whole vintage trend really interesting.

00:40:37.293 --> 00:40:44.876
<v Speaker 2>And what's interesting is how, you know, brands are realizing that they didn't want to sell their used stuff on their own site.

00:40:44.876 --> 00:40:48.123
<v Speaker 2>But then they realized that wild, but I get it.

00:40:48.123 --> 00:40:53.938
<v Speaker 2>And they thought, well, we just want to keep making new and sell new, but then they realized that customers were buying it anyway.

00:40:53.938 --> 00:40:55.889
<v Speaker 2>So it's money lost on the table.

00:40:55.889 --> 00:41:09.914
<v Speaker 2>So I found it really interesting how these, these big brands are partnering with companies and putting this kind of the used element you know they're on their navigation bar, this kind of the used element you know they're on their navigation bar.

00:41:09.934 --> 00:41:17.539
<v Speaker 2>And then someone like Coach you know deviated Coach Tupia where they're using their own, you know, off cuts and recycled material to make bags that are wholly recycled.

00:41:17.539 --> 00:41:27.173
<v Speaker 2>So I think it's really interesting when big companies have they have enough material that they can kind of create something like that, do something like that.

00:41:27.173 --> 00:41:31.282
<v Speaker 2>And then there's, you know, a lot of these material innovations.

00:41:31.282 --> 00:41:40.034
<v Speaker 2>You know we're saying, getting back to what we're talking about, vegan leather there's a think tank called the Material Innovation Initiative, mii.

00:41:40.034 --> 00:41:50.923
<v Speaker 2>I did a panel with them and again, it's a little fringe but you know they're exploring it, scientists and their apple skins and apple skin leather and mushroom leather and pineapple leather.

00:41:51.210 --> 00:41:52.476
<v Speaker 1>I did a TikTok about that.

00:41:52.476 --> 00:41:56.882
<v Speaker 1>I did like the fruit salad of handbag fruit leather purely for that.

00:41:56.882 --> 00:42:12.039
<v Speaker 1>Like green orange pineapple mushroom Mushrooms aren't fruit but going through the whole gamut, orange peels I know potato skins Like there's ways apple skins the same thing yeah, orange peels I know potato skins like there's ways apple skins the same thing yeah, it's very, very cool.

00:42:12.139 --> 00:42:12.539
<v Speaker 2>And there's a.

00:42:12.539 --> 00:42:15.378
<v Speaker 2>There's a company on that called Inversa Leathers.

00:42:15.378 --> 00:42:16.666
<v Speaker 2>I don't know if you've heard of them.

00:42:16.666 --> 00:42:16.967
<v Speaker 2>It's a.

00:42:16.967 --> 00:42:18.811
<v Speaker 2>It's a leathers company but skins.

00:42:18.811 --> 00:42:24.280
<v Speaker 2>But they make materials out of all invasive species.

00:42:24.280 --> 00:42:28.300
<v Speaker 2>So like a lion fish which apparently, like, eats all the coral and, you know, destroys all the species.

00:42:28.300 --> 00:42:30.061
<v Speaker 2>So like a lionfish which apparently, like, eats all the coral and, you know, destroys all the coral.

00:42:30.061 --> 00:42:33.407
<v Speaker 2>So I did an ESG outlook column with them.

00:42:33.407 --> 00:42:37.195
<v Speaker 2>But so they're not just taking something that's in like high.

00:42:37.195 --> 00:42:42.797
<v Speaker 2>You know you could say bamboo is very sustainable because you know it grows back like a weed, so it regenerates itself.

00:42:42.797 --> 00:42:48.880
<v Speaker 2>But these invasive skins, they're actually like fish that are detrimental.

00:42:48.880 --> 00:42:52.300
<v Speaker 2>So they're in certain types of Python, whatever I forget.

00:42:52.300 --> 00:43:02.737
<v Speaker 2>But they're creating material that you know they sell to handbag companies and whatnot, and so they're doing good in that way because they're actually removing things that are detrimental from the environment.

00:43:02.737 --> 00:43:20.398
<v Speaker 2>So again, you know it's kind of fringe, but it's a really nice story because it feels like it is moving the industry forward.

00:43:20.438 --> 00:43:34.768
<v Speaker 2>And these are some things to keep an eye on you know, or people who are taking vintage and not just selling a vintage item, but re or something you know, just something that can make it their own and they feel like they're a designer, instead of just shopping thrift stores and saying you know, this is vintage.

00:43:34.768 --> 00:43:41.289
<v Speaker 2>So I think there's a lot of opportunity to take the old, make it new, make new things out of alt materials.

00:43:41.289 --> 00:43:42.476
<v Speaker 2>It's very exciting.

00:43:42.476 --> 00:43:49.021
<v Speaker 2>As far as trends, I defer to you, I can't even keep up with all the trends these days.

00:43:50.070 --> 00:43:50.472
<v Speaker 1>Lauren.

00:43:50.472 --> 00:43:52.619
<v Speaker 1>Thank you so much for being part of this.

00:43:52.619 --> 00:43:55.697
<v Speaker 1>Lauren Parker, how can people find you follow?

00:43:55.697 --> 00:43:59.650
<v Speaker 1>You read your incredible content that you put out that.

00:43:59.650 --> 00:44:01.858
<v Speaker 1>You're just such a genius at how you write.

00:44:01.858 --> 00:44:03.253
<v Speaker 1>I'm the biggest fan ever.

00:44:03.876 --> 00:44:04.277
<v Speaker 2>Thank you.

00:44:04.277 --> 00:44:05.994
<v Speaker 2>So you know wwwsourcingjournalcom.

00:44:05.994 --> 00:44:08.222
<v Speaker 2>You can reach me atDcom sourcingjournalcom.

00:44:08.222 --> 00:44:12.135
<v Speaker 2>You can reach me at lparker, at sourcingjournalcom.

00:44:12.135 --> 00:44:14.400
<v Speaker 2>I still have my old sourcing journal email.

00:44:14.400 --> 00:44:18.016
<v Speaker 2>My Instagram is laurenparker77.

00:44:18.016 --> 00:44:22.952
<v Speaker 2>Although I don't really post a lot of industry content there, but you can follow me on LinkedIn.

00:44:22.952 --> 00:44:25.318
<v Speaker 2>I think that's the best to stick me up on LinkedIn.

00:44:25.338 --> 00:44:29.920
<v Speaker 1>Lauren Parker, that's what I tell people that's where the old people are to humble brag.

00:44:29.920 --> 00:44:37.217
<v Speaker 1>So it's everything that you'll see on Instagram and TikTok, but done with old people, without the videos.

00:44:37.217 --> 00:44:39.882
<v Speaker 1>Yes, exactly, I'm old, I admit it.

00:44:39.882 --> 00:44:40.842
<v Speaker 1>Oh my gosh.

00:44:40.842 --> 00:44:42.626
<v Speaker 1>Well, you look good and that's all that matters.

00:44:42.626 --> 00:44:44.072
<v Speaker 1>Nobody else cares about the age.

00:44:44.072 --> 00:44:47.097
<v Speaker 1>Lauren, thank you so much for being part of this.

00:44:47.097 --> 00:44:51.704
<v Speaker 1>Follow, lauren, and we're absolutely going to be having you back for an update of industry for sure.

00:44:51.704 --> 00:44:53.173
<v Speaker 1>This has been an absolute delight.

00:44:53.173 --> 00:44:53.976
<v Speaker 1>Thank you so much.

00:44:53.976 --> 00:44:55.963
<v Speaker 1>Thank you for having me Pleasure.

00:44:55.963 --> 00:44:58.130
<v Speaker 1>Thanks for listening.

00:44:58.130 --> 00:45:03.601
<v Speaker 1>Don't forget to rate and review, and follow us on every single platform at Handbag Designer.

00:45:03.601 --> 00:45:04.463
<v Speaker 1>Thanks so much.

00:45:04.463 --> 00:45:05.490
<v Speaker 1>See you next time.